William H. Paul (October 3, 1844 – February 23, 1911) was an American soldier who fought with the Union Army during the American Civil War as a member of Company E of the 90th Pennsylvania InfantryBates, Samuel P. History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-5; Prepared in Compliance with Acts of the Legislature, Vol. III: “Ninetieth Regiment”, pp. 151-185. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: B. Singerly, State Printer, 1870. and, later, the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry's E Company.Bates, Samuel P. History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-5; Prepared in Compliance with Acts of the Legislature, Vol. I: “Eleventh Regiment”, pp. 264, 283. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: B. Singerly, State Printer, 1869. He was awarded his nation's highest honor for valor in combat, the U.S. Medal of Honor, for saving and protecting the regimental flag of the 90th Pennsylvania Volunteers during the intense fighting of the Battle of Antietam in Maryland on September 17, 1862. That award was conferred on November 3, 1896.”Paul, William H.”, in “Recipients”. Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina: Congressional Medal of Honor Society, retrieved online September 25, 2018.Beyer, Walter F. and Oscar F. Keydel. Deeds of Valor: How America’s Heroes Won the Medal of Honor: Personal Reminiscences and Records of Officers and Enlisted Men Who Were Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for Most Conspicuous Acts of Bravery in Battle Combined with an Abridged History of Our Country’s Wars, Vol. I: “The Flag Was Saved”, p. 90. Detroit, Michigan: The Perrien-Keydel Company, 1901.
Formative years Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 3, 1844, William H. Paul was a son of Pennsylvania natives George W. Paul (1813–1892) and Barbara A. Paul (1817–1884). During the 1850s, William Paul resided in Philadelphia's Spring Garden neighborhood (5th Ward) with his parents and sisters: Frances, Virginia, Mary, Emma, and Ida, who were born, respectively, circa 1834, 1836, 1838, 1847, and 1854. His father supported their family on a carpenter's wages.”Paul, George W., Barbara, Frances, Virginia, Mary, Emma”, in U.S. Census (Philadelphia: Spring Garden, 5th Ward, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, 1850). Washington, D.C.: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.”Paul, George W., Barbary, William, Ida”, in U.S. Census (Havre de Grace, Harford County, Maryland, 1870). Washington, D.C.: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.
Sometime before or during early 1860, William Paul and his family relocated to Hammonton, New Jersey, where his father had obtained work as a carpenter. The federal census taker who arrived at their doorstep in mid-July of that year noted that their household included parents George W. and B. A. Paul, and children: William, Emma and Ida.”Paul, George W., B. A., William, Emma, Ida”, in U.S. Census (Hammonton, Mullica Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey, 1860). Washington, D.C.: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.
Civil War Two years later, on January 22, 1862, William H. Paul enrolled for Civil War military service in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.”Paul, William H.”, in “Registers of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-1865 (90th Regiment, Company E)”, in “Records of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs” (Record Group 19). Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. He then officially mustered in at Camp McClellan in Philadelphia's Nicetown-Tioga neighborhood that same day as a private with Company E of the 90th Pennsylvania Infantry. Military records at the time described him as being a 20-year-old Philadelphia resident who was 5’ 3-1/2” tall with brown hair, hazel eyes and a light complexion.”Paul William H. (E – 90 I)”, in “Civil War Veterans’ Card File, 1861-1866”. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State Archives. At the end of March, following basic training, he was transported with his regiment by rail to Baltimore, Maryland, quartered at the Patterson Park Barracks, and equipped with an altered smooth-bore musket before being moved again, by way of Washington, D.C., to Aquia Creek Landing, and assigned with his regiment to the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division of the U.S. Army's 1st Corps under the command of General Irvin McDowell. Marched to various sites in support of Union Army operations for the next several months, Paul and his fellow 90th Pennsylvanians saw their first major action in the Battle of Cedar Mountain, Virginia (August 9, 1862) during the opening of the Northern Virginia Campaign. Ordered to destroy a railroad bridge at Mitchell's Station on August 15, they next guarded the Union Army's rear as it retreated across the Rappahannock River, and then rendered support to Union artillery batteries during the First Battle of Rappahannock Station (August 22–August 25) before moving on to operations associated with the Battle of Thoroughfare Gap (August 28). After fighting in the Second Battle of Bull Run (August 28–30) and Battle of Chantilly (September 1), they were reassigned to the Maryland Campaign under Major General Joseph Hooker, and then fought again in the Battle of South Mountain (September 14).Bates, History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-5, Vol. III: “Ninetieth Regiment”, pp. 151-153.
Three days later, while fighting with his regiment in the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862, William Paul performed the act of valor which later resulted in his being awarded the U.S. Medal of Honor. When the 90th Pennsylvania's color-bearer and two other members of his regiment's color guard unit were killed in action “under a most withering and concentrated fire,” according to his award citation, he retrieved the regiment's colors and continued to carry and protect that flag for the remainder of the intense fighting which raged that day.”Paul, William H.”, Congressional Medal of Honor Society. In recalling those events for an interviewer years later, Paul said:Beyer and Oscar Keydel. Deeds of Valor: How America’s Heroes Won the Medal of Honor: Personal Reminiscences and Records of Officers and Enlisted Men Who Were Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for Most Conspicuous Acts of Bravery in Battle Combined with an Abridged History of Our Country’s Wars, Vol. I: “The Flag Was Saved”, p. 90.
During the battle of Antietam, our corps was being vigorously attacked in a wooded and hilly part of the country, where our forces could not very well cope with an enemy accustomed to bush fighting. Nevertheless, in a hard and deadly struggle we were slowly but surely driving the enemy back, when Color-Sergeant Mason, who was in advance of our lines some four or five yards, cheering us on, was shot.
A rebel detachment immediately rushed forward to capture the fallen colors. Seeing this, I placed myself at the head of a few men, probably ten in number, and charged out to meet the enemy, and if possible rescue the colors. We clashed with a shock, and a sharp hand-to-hand fight ensued in which two of our men were killed and five so severely wounded, that they were unable to be of any assistance.
A rebel had already seized the colors, but I grasped them and with one supreme effort wrenched the precious banner from his hold. Waving it high above my head, I carried it throughout the remainder of the battle. In the melee my comrades managed to kill one of the enemy and capture another.
I afterwards carried the flag in all the battles in which our regiment participated, until after the battle of Gettysburg, when I was relieved from further duty as color-bearer, because of a wound received during that battle.
Sometime after being wounded in action at Antietam, Paul was promoted to the rank of sergeant.”Paul William H. (E – 90 I)”, in “Civil War Veterans’ Card File, 1861-1866”. After his regiment was reassigned to the Union Army's 1st Corps in 1862, he and his regiment then fought in the Battle of Fredericksburg (December 11–15, 1862). Ordered to fatigue duty in the New Year, they then participated in the Mud March led by Major-General Ambrose Burnside (January 1863) and the intense fighting of the Chancellorsville Campaign (April 30–May 6) before heading for Pennsylvania. Assigned to the Gettysburg campaign, they then fought in the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1–3), and pursued the Confederate Army as it retreated into Maryland and Virginia. Reassigned to picket duties along the Rappahannock River that fall, the regiment skirmished periodically with Confederate troops while also participating in the destruction of enemy-controlled segments of the Manassas and Alexandria Railroad and repair of Union-controlled lines before being ordered to participate in the Mine Run Campaign in December.Bates, History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-5, Vol. III: “Ninetieth Regiment”, pp. 153-155.
After departing its winter quarters at Cedar Mountain, Paul's regiment was once again ordered to operations at various points in Virginia during January 1864. Encamped on the Sperryville Pike beginning February 6, they drilled throughout April and were also assigned to picket details. Marching with his regiment for Virginia's Wilderness on May 4, Paul was wounded in action again the next day while fighting with the 90th Pennsylvania in the Battle of the Wilderness. According to historian Samuel P. Bates:Bates, History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-5, Vol. III: “Ninetieth Regiment”, p 156.
On the morning of the 5th [the 90th Pennsylvania] resumed the march, but had not gone far before it came upon the enemy’s skirmishers. The command was formed in line of battle, and advanced until it reached the open ground, beyond which the enemy was entrenched. The line was established behind a slight rise of ground, with small trees and bushes in front, the right of the Ninetieth being separated from the rest of the brigade by a road which it was impossible to occupy, being raked by the enemy’s artillery. ‘We lay,’ [said] a report of the battle, ‘in this position some time, when General Griffin, in command of the First Division, rode up and ordered a charge. Colonel Lyle promptly led his regiment forward, and as soon as it had cleared the shrubbery in front, and emerged upon the open field, rebel batteries opened upon it with grape and canister. The order was given to ‘double quick,’ and with a shout it advanced within close range of the rebel lines. From some misunderstanding, or not having received the same peremptory order from General Griffin that he gave to the Ninetieth, the rest of the brigade did not advance any distance, leaving the regiment entirely alone in the charge. When Colonel Lyle discovered that he was unsupported, he gave the order to ‘about face,’ and what was left rallied around the colors, and under a fierce fire of infantry and artillery returned to its original position…. [O]f two hundred and fifty-one men, one hundred and twenty-four were either killed, wounded, or captured. A ditch run across the field with rebel sharp-shooters, who prevented any of the wounded from being taken off, and they fell into the hands of the enemy.’ The regiment was soon after relieved and moved to the rear.